4 Fun Ways to Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick’s Day, or “The Feast of Saint Patrick,” is held every March 17th to honor Saint Patrick on his traditional death date. It is a cultural and religious celebration which people typically wear a shamrock or green to celebrate. But if you’re looking for something beyond wearing shamrock socks or rocking a clover pin, we’ve got you covered.

1. Cook Traditional Irish Food

One of the main things people look forward to at St. Patrick’s Day parties is the food! You can add traditional Irish meals to the menu such as coddle. Coddle is an Irish dish made with baked potatoes, sausage, and bacon. Another delicious dish is shepard’s pie, which is made with beef or lamb and vegetables, and topped with mashed potatoes. Potato pancakes are also delicious and are typically made using potatoes, onions, and sausage topped with bacon. Irish soda bread is another traditional bread that goes well with corned beef and cabbage. Or add a traditional Irish stew to the menu using thinly sliced potatoes, onions, carrots, chopped bacon, and even some lamb chops if you want. There are so many different options for your guests to try some traditional food from Ireland!

2. Make Irish Drinks

Another thing to add to the party to celebrate are the drinks! The Irish are usually known for their Guinness, but there are many more options, such as Murphy’s, Smithwick’s, and Beamish & Crawford. You can also add food coloring to your drinks to make them more festive! Green beer is very popular for this holiday. Other festive drinks include Shamrock Juice, Honeydew Martini, and the Grasshopper - which is a mint and chocolate classic! Irish coffee is also a traditional drink made with hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and whipped cream! And if you’re not 21 yet, don’t worry – here are 13 nonalcoholic St. Patty’s Day drink ideas so you don’t miss out on the fun.

3. Watch Irish Movies

There are some fun movies that you can watch to celebrate the holiday! Movies such as “The Quiet Man,” which came out in 1952, is a romance movie set in Ireland. You can also try “The Commitments,” which is about a Dublin band, and “The Wind that Shakes the Barley,” which is a great movie about two brothers during the Irish War of Independence. Another is “Calvary,” a new movie that came out in 2014 and is a dark and humorous take of family, loss and the struggle between religion and community.

4. Play Irish Games and Watch Gaelic Sports

There are games you can watch during Saint Patrick’s Day as well! These games are called the Gaelic Games and were established in 1884 to promote and develop national sports. They are unique to Ireland and feature games like Gaelic hurling and Gaelic football. Every Saint Patrick’s Day these games are hosted on television to watch, too.

All in all, there are numerous ways to celebrate this cultural holiday! From traditional food, to fun drinks, to movies and sports games, there are a bunch of ways to entertain your guests during Saint Patty’s Day!